Starting out in Karting
Discussion
www.karting.co.uk has all the info you will need and a good forum but be brave becasue i have found it a bit "cliquey" in the past. someone will be nice and answer all your questions but i know they get loads of "wot kart do i need to go racin'" type questions from 12 year olds with access to the web!
club 100 is a good bet as it is arrive and drive, theoretically a level playing field and they visit the top circuits. the standard of driving is very high though and the top drivers are vey fast.
rotax max gets big grids and is good fun, they are fast karts and probably the easiest to maintain if you were looking to buy one and run it yourself.
The problem with karting remains the attitude of some people who are adamant that their son/daughter is the next senna and will throw ££££s at the team to ensure it happens. Stick to club stuff, better attitudes = better racing and people havea bit more respect on the track if they are paying for the damage!
club 100 is a good bet as it is arrive and drive, theoretically a level playing field and they visit the top circuits. the standard of driving is very high though and the top drivers are vey fast.
rotax max gets big grids and is good fun, they are fast karts and probably the easiest to maintain if you were looking to buy one and run it yourself.
The problem with karting remains the attitude of some people who are adamant that their son/daughter is the next senna and will throw ££££s at the team to ensure it happens. Stick to club stuff, better attitudes = better racing and people havea bit more respect on the track if they are paying for the damage!
davislove said:
Anyone done it?
Have been doing some research and it looks like a mega 'bang for buck' form of motorsport!
I'm still not very clear on the classes or where the circuits are etc
Karting aside, i'm also considering the stock hatch championship
When I was at University I ran a kart club, which was superb fun, so I ended up running my own karts after graduation.
As you are in Essex I would find out from the London Kart Club when their next race is at Tilbury (Dunlop Road, Tilbury). I'd go down and have a look at what is being run, what is successful, and what is competitive.
Tilbury is not glitzy but it is good to drive, and in addition what rudimentary facilities they have are supplemented with a friendly caff staff and plenty of spares in their shop, and believe me you will need them.
I would go down there and buy a copy of Karting from the shop while you are there. They are open every weekend rain or shine, and most weekdays as well.
In terms of karting you have two basic routes - gearbox and non-gearbox. There are pros and cons to each.
Gearbox cons are that it is difficult to find a circuit where you can actually use one on. Once you find a circuit you then have draconian noise regulations. There aren't many people that do it. The pros are that even the slow karts are fast - a 125 Rotax engined kart has about 35 ish horsepower and the kart + driver weighs about 180 kg. The next step up is 250 single cylinder, about 60 hp in the same amount of weight. The next step up is 250 E with twin cylinder engine, making 70 hp from an old Yamaha, or nowadays up to 95 hp from a Rotax 256. Obviously the more power you have, the more expensive the engine.
A much better bet if you want to have a lot of fun is to go for a 100cc kart. They have classes from slow (100 TKM) to exciting (100 National) to you can't possibly afford it (100 Super) which is what you need if you want to follow Jenson Button's career path.
100 TKM seems to get the entries but it isn't that exciting to drive. 100 National is far more exciting but the penalty is that the costs are higher, engines need more rebuilds etc.
If you are wanting to dabble but don't want to commit a large amount of cash I'd buy a complete kart on a stand with some spares for about 750 pounds. Get a secondhand CIK kart suit but a brand new helmet, and check that it meets Motor Sport Association standards. Treat the helmet with the utmost respect. If and when you have your big accident you'll be glad you kept the helmet in tip top condition ready to protect you.
Don't get a race licence, just go to practice sessions at Tilbury and Rye House - which is in Hoddesdon by the canal next to the Speedway track. Learn to mix it with the other drivers out there, learn to change pistons and set up your carbs and timing, and you can run the kart very cheaply. After going to practice sessions I'd then look at whether you want to race, if you do then get your RAC medical and apply for a licence.
Don't listen to all the rubbish about budgets needing to be enormous. They don't need to be if you are competent. For every person that spends 12K a year on racing there's a guy that spends 2K and does better. I kid you not.
GavinPearson said:
When I was at University I ran a kart club, which was superb fun, so I ended up running my own karts after graduation.
Which university was that Gavin? Did you ever race in the IUKC/BUKC? My first year at uni was the last of the IUKC, then the BUKC took over and we started racing with karts supplied by club100 - its great now. www.bukc.co.uk
I raced/race for York. If you think you want to start karting but aren't sure if you'd like it, perhaps try a day with club100? It will be quite cheap compared to buying a kart etc... If you enjoy driving them you'll have even more fun a proper TKM/faster 100cc kart...
>> Edited by D_Mike on Saturday 25th June 12:49
I went to Imperial College, University of London.
We never raced in the BUKC, though it probably would have been interesting to field an entry or two.
Bear in mind that I left in 1993, that was a long time ago, so though the details have changed the fundamentals haven't.
I am just amazed at how the BT82 engine seems to soldier on despite being so gutless.
If you want to buy some books about the subject look here - they are very worthwhile to get the most performance and enjoyment out of the kart.
www.kartingmagazine.com/shop/
We never raced in the BUKC, though it probably would have been interesting to field an entry or two.
Bear in mind that I left in 1993, that was a long time ago, so though the details have changed the fundamentals haven't.
I am just amazed at how the BT82 engine seems to soldier on despite being so gutless.
If you want to buy some books about the subject look here - they are very worthwhile to get the most performance and enjoyment out of the kart.
www.kartingmagazine.com/shop/
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